4. Does the seasonal flu or H1N1 qualify as a serious health condition for FMLA?

In general, no. Leave provided under FMLA is not intended to cover short term conditions for which treatment and recovery are very brief (i.e., colds, flu, etc.). However, should the employee experience complications, allergic reactions to medication, or other serious health conditions in addition to flu symptoms, then the illness would qualify for FMLA leave.

5. Who should I contact if one or more of my essential employees become ill?

Because of the potential for large numbers of illnesses, supervisors should notify Mary Jane Hannahs, HR Talent Acquisition Manager, at mhannahs@kent.edu or pandemicstaffing@kent.edu if essential employees are absent due to influenza-like illness (ILI).Essential employees are staff and are expected to continue critical university functions.

When sending the information to Hannahs, please include your name, e-mail address, phone number, department, the number of new influenza-like illnesses reported that day in a department and the total number of people that are off of work due to ILI (including new absences and any continued absences already reported).

6. Can a supervisor require a doctor’s note in order to determine whether an employee has H1N1?

In general, no. However, work rules and guidelines as noted within applicable collective bargaining agreements are still in effect for absences requiring a doctor’s note.

If you are not able to obtain a note for your absence due to an ILI, your department will utilize discretion when examining occurrences of sick leave due to ILI without accompanying medical documentation.

If it is discovered that an employee is absent when not ill, then the unit can proceed with a request for corrective action based on dishonesty.

7. Can a supervisor direct an employee to go home if they are ill?

Yes. If the employee is exhibiting ILI symptoms, the supervisor may direct the employee to go home, but before making the determination the supervisor should consult with Human Resources, or Academic Personnel.

8. If an employee goes home because they are ill, are they required to use their available leave time (sick, vacation or comp time)?

No. The employee is not required to use available leave time. They may request to take an “unpaid leave of absence.”

9. When do the Essential/Alternate/Standby designations and the University's EmergencyOperationsCenter become effective?

Announcement of the University’s status and information regarding the University’s EmergencyOperationsCenter will be available at http://www.kent.edu/flu.The activation of the pandemic plan is a management tool that allows the university to manage its resources and to respond and make decisions quickly.

10. Can parents bring children to work during a pandemic and/or a university state of emergency?

No.

11. If an employee notices that a co-worker is sick with ILI, what should they do?

The employee should notify his/her supervisor as soon as possible in order to help slow the spread of illness. Notification must take place in a sensitive and confidential manner. The supervisor should then approach the potentially sick employee to determine the next steps.

12. I am a supervisor and one of my employees has been diagnosed with an ILI. What should I do?

If an employee notifies you that they have been diagnosed with an ILI, ask them to go home or stay home until they are fully recovered. After discussion with your employee, contact your HR representative so they can report the illness.

13. If we have high absenteeism due to sick employees, can we change job classifications to provide critical staffing where needed?

Employees may be asked to perform work that they do not usually perform during a health or other crisis. The university encourages employees to be flexible and may direct employees to complete additional responsibilities or tasks necessary for business operation.

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